The Red Factor Sun Conure Color Mutation 1

Young adult pair of red factors

18 month old red factor female

The Red Factor Sun Conure Color Mutation By Marcy Covault, April 2013 © All rights reserved

Feathered Companions Aviary, http://www.birdcompanions.com

Over a decade ago, a new sun conure color mutation— commonly referred to as “red factor”— was visually

expressed in a pair of sun conures in Hawaii. Since then, breeders and pet owners, primarily in the

continental U.S., have been collecting these lovely gems. Still uncommon compared to normal sun conures,

the red factor sun conure has sparked the interest of those who study color mutations.

From what is known about this color mutation, I have observed and concluded the following thus far. This is

based my experience and that of some other breeders with whom I have communicated.

What does the “red factor” look like? Are there variations in shade?

There is a characteristic reddish orange translucent wash over and

replacing part of the yellow of a normal sun. The intensity of this color

can vary somewhat, from very reddish-orange, to medium reddish-

orange, with an occasional “light red” (pale red-orange wash over

yellow, almost indistinguishable from a more colorful normal sun).

[Note that since feather color appearance is affected by light refraction,

two pictures of the same bird under different lighting conditions can

make a bird look darker or lighter, so a bird “in person” may look

somewhat different from a picture of that same bird.]

After the first young adult molt, a dappling effect can be seen

over the back. With age, these birds typically fade somewhat, so

that even those birds that are darker reddish-orange as babies will

usually be medium orange-red as adults. They are still distinctly

different from normal color sun conures.

When the babies are first pin feathering, one can determine which

will be red factor by the blue-red cast of the beginning feather tips on

the head, which then open up into reddish-orange. Also, on the upper

wing coverts and back, there is a reddish-orange overlaying the yellow

that shows to varying degrees at this age. Most adults will be a pretty

consistent reddish-orange (with minor variations), with an occasional

individual a deeper red-orange or a lighter red-orange.

What is the inheritance mode? The red factor appears to be dominant

but is not sex-linked, so that either male or female must be visually red

factor to carry the color gene(s), and either visually red factor parent

can pass the color on to offspring. A non-visual bird cannot be split to

The Red Factor Sun Conure Color Mutation 2

Normal and red factor babies

(carrying recessively) the red factor since it is a

dominant inheritance. Two visual normals, no matter

how reddish they may appear, will NOT produce a red

factor.

There is speculation that normal color suns produced

by a red factor x red factor or normal x red factor, when

then paired with a red factor, will produce more color

(i.e., if the red factor influences offspring color of a

normal sun)—but that is likely more a function of the

individual birds.

Some pairs do produce more early color than others,

but that doesn’t mean adult color will be noticeably

different.

What is the cumulative influence? There appears to be

a *cumulative* color inheritance, as with many of the

color mutations of other parrot species (e.g., the

yellowsided and cinnamon-yellowsided green cheek

conure). While breeding two colorful red factors

together may ensure more colorful offspring, it appears

to be more complicated than that.

With the red factor suns, there is a saturation point (not understood at this time) where the color becomes

“too much of a good thing”. The resulting offspring are “dark red”, with the yellow being mostly replaced, so

that the wings, for example, have an almost bronze-tone to them. Some have postulated that these are

“double factor”, but I believe that to be incorrect in concept. When two red factors breed and this “dark red”

The “dark red” metabolically challenged

sun conure youngster does not survive

much past weaning.

Normal, “dark red”, and typical red factor babies

The Red Factor Sun Conure Color Mutation 3

offspring results, the color so far is always indicative of a metabolic malfunction. At 8 to 10 weeks, rather

than progressing normally, these “dark reds” begin to lose motor function, and eventually cannot fly or even

eat independently. The youngster has to be euthanized by about 4 months. Autopsy shows brain lesions and

an abnormal spleen, with a veterinarian hypothesis that there is a metabolic imbalance that is genetic and is

expressed visually in the feather color. Whether that can be overcome, i.e., “dark red” birds produced that

survive, is not known at this time.

What’s the best way to get color? Breeding two deeper red

factor suns will usually produce a deeper red color, but you

are likely to also get the “dark red”, so that’s a decision for

the individual breeder, as it is very unpleasant to watch a

youngster go downhill and have to euthanize them. By

breeding normal to red factor, one should get mostly medium

color reds, with an occasional darker and an occasional

lighter. I have gotten light, medium and deep red babies in

the same clutch from a normal x red factor pairing, though

medium is most common. In consideration of the apparent

cumulative effect of the color, the next step may be to breed

a *light red* individual to a medium or deeper red individual

to see if consistent deeper color can be maximized without

producing the metabolically-challenged dark red.

Other discussion

Is there a temperament difference? The red factor is a color mutation, and there does not appear to be any

difference in temperament from a normal sun conure.

What is a “tangerine” sun conure? This is not an accepted color denotation. Some have said “tangerine” is

another name for “red factor”, but that is confusing rather than helpful, in my opinion. Some have called a

normal sun that has a lot of red around the eyes and around the beak a “tangerine” or “red” sun, but it is

NOT the same as a red factor. There is variation in color of normal suns, from more yellow to more red, but

again, it is NOT the same as a red factor. That is one reason though that it is important to know the parents

of a particular bird, as only when one of the parents is a true red factor can an offspring have the potential to

be a red factor.

What about “color feeding”? Can suns be “color fed” like canaries, i.e., red encouraged? Possibly to some

extent, although that’s debatable among aviculturists and that’s a topic for another article! That is not

relevant to the red factor color mutation.

Is the red factor sun a purebred or a hybrid? The red factor sun is a purebred, and is NOT a hybrid with

another conure species (e.g., jenday). The color pattern alone, which is typical of a sun conure, would dispel

any conjecture of hybridization.

Four red factors and a normal sun